Rosehip Latte
by MoonlightSalsa
Summary: Barista Tianyi becomes friends with florist Haku, and learns about all her secrets, hopes and pain. A coffee shop/flower shop AU.


**Life has been super busy recently, so updates might be slow. Sorry about that!**

* * *

The rush of cold air through the opened door carried with it the scent of roses. Tianyi looked up from the coffee maker to greet her next customer: a young woman with long white hair tied back with a black and purple striped bow. Tianyi forced her lips into a smile as she said "Hello, may I take your order?"

The woman smiled back - genuinely, if not a little tired - as she said "Hello, I'd like a gingerbread hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant, please."

"Sure thing!" Tianyi busied herself with the coffee machine, still smelling roses. She sniffed once, twice, each one more floral than the last. Perfume, she thought.

The woman blushed. "Oh, is that me?" She sniffed her hands and smiled, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I work in a flower shop. I hope I'm not bothering you."

Tianyi raised an eyebrow. Why would it be bothersome? "No, it's fine." She paused for a moment. "I can't imagine that roses would be very popular this time of year."

The woman gave a small shrug. "Quite a few people still ask for roses to give to their loved ones, so we always keep some in stock. We get them from the south, where it's still warm. We only sell red and white though, to fit in with the Christmas colour theme."

Tianyi envisioned a man, walking through the streets, carrying a bundle of bright red roses to give to his love on Christmas Eve. It begins to snow, a light fall, not a blizzard, and by the time he reaches his love, the roses are covered with a light dusting of delicate snowflakes. Tianyi smiled at that.

"We sell mistletoe as well, and we also do little bundles of holly, and other stuff like that," the woman continued.

Tianyi nodded. "Where do you work?"

"Meiko's Florists."

"Well," Tianyi said, as she placed the hot drink on the counter and turned to retrieve the croissant from the display case, "I'll have to check it out sometime."

"That'd be wonderful!" The woman beamed. She fell silent for a second, then asked, "What's your name?"

"Tianyi."

"That's a beautiful name. I'm Haku."

"Well, Haku," Tianyi put the croissant in a brown paper bag, and set it next to the hot chocolate, "It was nice to meet you, and that'll be $9.50."

Haku giggled, paid and left, waving bye over her shoulder. Tianyi stared after her for a moment, watching her ghost-white hair merge into the snow, until the next customer stepped forward, and she remembered why she didn't particularly like this job very much, as she listened to the long, complicated, no-holds-barred order. She sighed and got back to work.

* * *

By the time Tianyi finished work two hours later, it was already dark out. Huddled in her car in the parking lot with the heater turned on full blast, she scrolled through the texts her phone had amassed throughout the day. Her roommate had texted to say that she had picked up takeaways for dinner, and that she'd better hurry home if she wanted some. Tianyi rolled her eyes and turned the key in the ignition.

When she got back home, it had started snowing. She pulled into her spot in the covered parking area then climbed the three flights of stairs to her apartment. She could hear classical music blaring from behind the door.

When she entered, Xin Hua was twirling around on her toes, doing a mock ballet performance. She stopped when she saw Tianyi walk over to the speaker and shut it off.

"Aw, you're no fun," Xin Hua said, pouting.

"I could hear it from outside," Tianyi responded, starting to poke around the kitchen. "Where's dinner? I'm starving."

Xin Hua reached behind her and grabbed a plastic takeout container filled with noodles and fried rice.

Tianyi smacked her lips as she took the container. "Yum. Thanks, Xin Hua."

"No worries." Xin Hua was standing on her tiptoes, leaning against the bench behind her. "Anything happen today?"

Tianyi shrugged as she searched for a fork. "Nothing, really. Luka had a go at Miku for taking too many bathroom breaks. Oh, and this woman came in and she told me that she works in a flower shop, and they're still selling roses! At this time of year!"

Xin Hua's eyes widened. "Oh, I love roses. What shop was it?"

"Meiko's Florists."

"We should totally go check it out! I could get some for Mother! Wouldn't she be surprised?"

Tianyi couldn't help but roll her eyes. Xin Hua got excited easily over the littlest of things. "All right, we can check it out. I'm on the morning shift the day after tomorrow so we can go then, is that cool?"

"Yes!" Xin Hua fist pumped the air and Tianyi rolled her eyes again.

* * *

Haku unlocked the front door and hurried inside, away from the snow and biting cold. The front hall was silent and dark, the only light coming from the kitchen at the end.

"Len?" She called, moving down the hallway. "Are you home?" Silly question. He would be home by now. He always was, same time, every day.

Haku poked her head into the kitchen. Len wasn't there. She did notice, however, that the table was set for one, with a plate of cold roast chicken and a glass of milk in front of her chair. Oh no...

She tried the bathroom and living room, both as dark and empty as the kitchen. Even the wind had stopped.

She felt the slow, steady sensation of dread rising in her gut as she creaked open the bedroom door, her fingers curling up. Inside, Len's bedside lamp was on and Len himself was lying under the covers. As Haku entered, he turned his head away and folded his arms.

Haku shut the door behind her and hung her handbag on the hook. "I'm sorry, I got held up at work, and then there was a lot of traffic on the way home." Len didn't answer.

Haku gulped as she took off her heavy winter clothes and changed into thick, warm pajamas. As she slid into bed, Len rolled onto his side, his back facing her. Haku fought the urge to cry. It wasn't her fault this time!

Except it kind of was.

She decided to stay late to help Meiko close up shop. She decided to stop by the cafe for her evening meal, delaying herself further, and ruining her appetite. He'd cooked a lovely meal for her and she couldn't even be bothered to show up to enjoy it. That wasn't very considerate of her.

"I'm sorry," she said again, hoping that he'd turn around and hug her, or at least say something to her, anything.

But he didn't. He didn't make a sound all night.


End file.
